“The panel found Mr. Dumebi Kachikwu and others guilty of the allegations leveled against them, subsequently in accordance with article 15 of the party’s constitution recommended that Mr. Dumebi Kachikwu and others be expelled from the party.”
By Emma Ogbuehi
Barely five months to the presidential election scheduled to hold on February 25, 2023, the crisis rocking the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has taken a turn for the worse.
The opposition party on Saturday announced the expulsion of its presidential candidate, Dumebi Kachikwu, and seven other chieftains from its ranks over alleged anti-party activities.
This is coming barely 12 days to kick off of campaigns for the 2023 general election.
The presidential candidate, who has been on suspension since September 3, was finally expelled with seven others by the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) after review of the report of a seven-man disciplinary panel set up to look into the allegations of gross misconduct, anti-party activities and gross violations of the Constitution amongst others leveled against him and others.
The decision of the party’s NWC was contained in a statement by the National Chairman of the party, Mr. Ralphs Okey Nwosu in Abuja on Saturday.
The statement reads: “The seven-man Disciplinary Panel set up by the African Democratic Congress, ADC, to look into the allegations of gross misconduct, antiparty activities and gross violations of the Party’s constitution amongst others leveled against Mr. Dumebi Kachikwu and others, sat on the 8th, 9th, 10th, 12th, 13th and 14th of September respectively and submitted its report formally to the leadership of the party on the 15th of September 2022.
“The panel found Mr. Dumebi Kachikwu and others guilty of the allegations leveled against them, subsequently in accordance with article 15 of the party’s constitution recommended that Mr.Dumebi Kachikwu and others be expelled from the party.
“The NWC met on the 16th of September 2022 to deliberate on the report and accepted the report of the Panel with modification.
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“Consequently, the following individuals are hereby expelled from the Party: Dumebi Kachikwu, Kingsley Oggah, Bello Isiyaka, Kabiru Hussain, Kennedy Odion, Musa Hassan, Clement Ehiator and Alaka Godwin William.”
The party chairman further stated: “With this development, the party has taken strategic steps to clean its stable and determined to move into reckoning across the country. NWC urged all the candidates and members to focus on the 2023 general election, while rededicating themselves to the ideals of the party.”
The NWC commended members of the disciplinary panel for the courage and commitment shown in the quality of their work and called on all its members to remain focused and continue to be good ambassadors of ADC.